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KJ
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SALVATION
Philip Hammial
(from KJ#33,
Orthodoxy/Heresy)
A man sets out
to shave the world. It's logical to start with himself, & this
he does. Plenty of lather & a sharp razor, he has some difficulty
with those in the ears & around the anus, but using mirrors, he
prevails & eventually gets every last hair. And then his wife.
She's easily persuaded &, overcoming her fear, soon finds it quite
enjoyable, & the job is done in less than an hour. And on to the
woman next door. It takes considerable persuasion, but finally she
gives in &, like a man's wife, overcomes her fear & finds
it enjoyable. But with this woman's cat there's a real problem.. Soothing
words, threats, promises of fish, they all prove useless; & so
it must have its legs bound together with a leather belt before the
work can proceed. And what a howling; it's enough to wake the dead.
And when, hairless, it's set free it makes for the nearest tree and
won't be coaxed down, not even with a can of sardines. And now the
postman comes with the mail &, like the cat, he won't be taken
in by eloquence. And when a man attempts to bind this public servant's
wrists and ankles he gets a punch in the nose. Tough luck for the
world; it won't be shaved today.
Philip
Hammial is a prolific poet, sculptor, painter, editor, and co-founder
of the Australian Collection of Outsider Art. Salvation was reprinted
from Philip Hammial's eleventh book of poetry, Just Desserts
(Island Press) Copyright held by the author
Copyright
held by the author
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